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Decibel levels from 10 to 140 dB
Every whole decibel level from 10 dB (a soft breath) to 140 dB (a gunshot) has its own reference page — with everyday examples, a safety verdict and how it falls off with distance. Jump straight to a level or browse by loudness band.
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Enter a value between 10 and 140.
Very quiet 0–29 dB
Far below any risk.
- 10 dBnormal breathing
- 11 dBnormal breathing
- 12 dBnormal breathing
- 13 dBrustling leaves in a light breeze
- 14 dBrustling leaves in a light breeze
- 15 dBrustling leaves in a light breeze
- 16 dBrustling leaves in a light breeze
- 17 dBrustling leaves in a light breeze
- 18 dBa ticking wristwatch
- 19 dBa ticking wristwatch
- 20 dBrustling leaves
- 21 dBrustling leaves
- 22 dBrustling leaves
- 23 dBsoft whispering at 2 m
- 24 dBsoft whispering at 2 m
- 25 dBa whisper
- 26 dBa whisper
- 27 dBa whisper
- 28 dBa quiet bedroom at night
- 29 dBa quiet bedroom at night
Quiet 30–49 dB
Restful, good for sleep.
- 30 dBa quiet bedroom at night
- 31 dBa quiet bedroom at night
- 32 dBa quiet bedroom at night
- 33 dBa quiet library
- 34 dBa quiet library
- 35 dBa quiet library
- 36 dBa quiet library
- 37 dBa quiet library
- 38 dBa quiet residential street at night
- 39 dBa quiet residential street at night
- 40 dBa refrigerator
- 41 dBa refrigerator
- 42 dBa refrigerator
- 43 dBlight rain
- 44 dBlight rain
- 45 dBlight rain
- 46 dBlight rain
- 47 dBlight rain
- 48 dBmoderate rainfall
- 49 dBmoderate rainfall
Moderate 50–69 dB
Safe but clearly audible.
- 50 dBmoderate rainfall
- 51 dBmoderate rainfall
- 52 dBmoderate rainfall
- 53 dBan electric toothbrush
- 54 dBan electric toothbrush
- 55 dBa mechanical keyboard
- 56 dBa mechanical keyboard
- 57 dBa mechanical keyboard
- 58 dBnormal conversation at 1 m
- 59 dBnormal conversation at 1 m
- 60 dBnormal conversation at 1 m
- 61 dBnormal conversation at 1 m
- 62 dBnormal conversation at 1 m
- 63 dBloud conversation and laughter
- 64 dBloud conversation and laughter
- 65 dBloud conversation and laughter
- 66 dBloud conversation and laughter
- 67 dBloud conversation and laughter
- 68 dBa vacuum cleaner at 3 m
- 69 dBa vacuum cleaner at 3 m
Loud 70–84 dB
Annoying over time, still safe.
- 70 dBa vacuum cleaner at 3 m
- 71 dBa vacuum cleaner at 3 m
- 72 dBa vacuum cleaner at 3 m
- 73 dBa toilet flushing
- 74 dBa toilet flushing
- 75 dBa toilet flushing
- 76 dBa toilet flushing
- 77 dBa toilet flushing
- 78 dBa food blender or garbage disposal
- 79 dBa food blender or garbage disposal
- 80 dBa food blender or garbage disposal
- 81 dBa food blender or garbage disposal
- 82 dBa food blender or garbage disposal
- 83 dBheavy city traffic
- 84 dBheavy city traffic
Very loud 85–99 dB
At/above the action level.
- 85 dBheavy city traffic
- 86 dBheavy city traffic
- 87 dBheavy city traffic
- 88 dBa petrol lawn mower
- 89 dBa petrol lawn mower
- 90 dBa petrol lawn mower
- 91 dBa petrol lawn mower
- 92 dBa petrol lawn mower
- 93 dBan electric power drill
- 94 dBan electric power drill
- 95 dBan electric power drill
- 96 dBan electric power drill
- 97 dBan electric power drill
- 98 dBa jackhammer at 15 m
- 99 dBa jackhammer at 15 m
Extremely loud 100–119 dB
Damage in minutes.
- 100 dBa jackhammer at 15 m
- 101 dBa jackhammer at 15 m
- 102 dBa jackhammer at 15 m
- 103 dBa chainsaw at arm's length
- 104 dBa chainsaw at arm's length
- 105 dBa chainsaw at arm's length
- 106 dBa chainsaw at arm's length
- 107 dBa chainsaw at arm's length
- 108 dBthe front rows of a live rock concert
- 109 dBthe front rows of a live rock concert
- 110 dBthe front rows of a live rock concert
- 111 dBthe front rows of a live rock concert
- 112 dBthe front rows of a live rock concert
- 113 dBsandblasting equipment
- 114 dBsandblasting equipment
- 115 dBsandblasting equipment
- 116 dBsandblasting equipment
- 117 dBsandblasting equipment
- 118 dBan ambulance siren at 1 m
- 119 dBan ambulance siren at 1 m
Dangerous 120–140 dB
Risk of instant damage.
- 120 dBan ambulance siren at 1 m
- 121 dBan ambulance siren at 1 m
- 122 dBan ambulance siren at 1 m
- 123 dBfireworks at close range
- 124 dBfireworks at close range
- 125 dBfireworks at close range
- 126 dBfireworks at close range
- 127 dBfireworks at close range
- 128 dBa jet engine at 30 m
- 129 dBa jet engine at 30 m
- 130 dBa jet engine at 30 m
- 131 dBa jet engine at 30 m
- 132 dBa jet engine at 30 m
- 133 dBan air raid siren
- 134 dBan air raid siren
- 135 dBan air raid siren
- 136 dBan air raid siren
- 137 dBan air raid siren
- 138 dBa gunshot at the muzzle
- 139 dBa gunshot at the muzzle
- 140 dBa gunshot at the muzzle
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Sources & accuracy. Reference levels are drawn from published data by NIOSH, OSHA, the CDC, the WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Real-world readings vary with distance, room acoustics and the specific source, so treat every figure as a typical value rather than an exact constant. Last reviewed 2026-08-11.